Clam-shell bucket.



' No. 837,079., PATENTBD NOV. 27, 1906.

v. E. LANE.

GLAMSHELL BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13. 1904. RENEWED OCT. 6, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l i ATTORNEYS No. 837,079. PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906. V. E. LANE.

GLAM SHEL'L'BUGKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1904. RENEWED OCT. 6, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 [1]. FEL

- wlmsssks: INVEN r00 A TTOHNE rs No. 837,079. PATENTED ov. 27, 1995?..

v. E. LANE.

'GLAM SHELL BUCKET.I APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1904. mfinnwnn 001'. 6, 1906.

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WITNESSES: IAN [N70]? 7cioz-ELane A TTORIVEVS- VICTOR EDVVD LANE, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA. CLAM-SHELL BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Appl.ioatlon filed May 18, 1904. Renewed October 6, 1906. Serial No. 337,821-

- the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a bucket for dredges and for similar excavating and conveying machines, said bucket being of the clam-shell type.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a bucket of the character mentioned which will be self-filling and which will be capable of being empti by a very simple operatlon.

Afurther object is to provide automatic closing mechanism for a bucket of this character, thus doing away with the necessity of the auxiliary drum or hoist commonly used.

Further -objects of the invention will appearm the course of the subj oined description. Reference is to be had to the accompanylngdrawings fo a part of this specification, in which s' ar characters of referpince mdicate corresponding parts in all the Figure 1 is a front elevation of a preferred form of; any mvention, showing parts in section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof with the bucket in closed position. Fig. 3 is a view'slmllar to Fig. 2, with the bucket in partly open position and a portion thereof appearmg in section. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modification, and Fig. 5 IS an end elevation showing the bucket in extreme open position. i

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which illustrate my invention by a practical embodiment thereof, a 0 represent the two scoops or shells of the bucket. These shells are directly attached to a pair of reciprocating bars I), which by means of pivoted catches c are movably suported by a bail or supporting element d.

he bars 6 are provided with perforations b, inwhich these catches are designed to engage, and the bail is provided with s ots d, throu h which the bars I) are designed to pass. T e catches are operated by means of two links e, one of which is pivoted to each catch and which are pivoted together at their inner ends. When the catches are in operative poaway the falling of the bucket will cause t sition with respect to the bars bfthese linksare intended to assume positions shown 1n full lines in Fig. 1, in other words, to form a straight line between their points of attachment to the catches, and they are held in this position by means of a stop e. When it is esired to release the scoops from the'supporting members, the rope or equivalent device f, passing over the swiveled ulley g, is pulled so as to bring the links to the osition shown in dotted lines in Fig 1. his releases the catches c from the openings b and allows the bars I) to drop.

The bars I) are provided with slots 1), through which pass pivots a, by means of which the two scoo s a a are ivotally attached together. pon the en s of the bail d are outwardly-projecting studs (1 with which enga e a pair of links k by means of longitudina slots 7c therein. Each of these links is pivoted to one of the scoops a. An additional pairof links l [are pivoted to the ,two scoo s at their outer ends and to each other at t eir inner ends. They are also pivoted to the lower ends of the bars I) by means of studs m.

When the bars I) are permitted to drop by means of the operation described above, the bucket being supposed to be loaded and closed, as shown 1n Fig. 2, the first operation caused by the descent of the bucket and bars I; will be to simply lower these parts without interfering with their relative ositions; but means is provided for causing a ther downward motion of the scoops to swing them from each other on their pivots. When the travel of these parts has been sufiicient to cause the upper ends of the slots k to come into contact with the studs 11 the links k is will bear all of the weight of the bucket. They will not be able to travel downwardly any farther, and conseapently e two halves thereof to be swung outwardly away from each other on the pivot-rod a, and the action of the links Z lwill assist this motion, as the lower ends of the bars I) will necessarily be lower with respect to the pivot-rod (1. than when the parts were in their initial position.

The whole device may now be lowered with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the scoops in that position will strike the material to be conveyed. They will of course stop at this point; but the bail, which is of considerable weight, will tend to .drop still farther down, the result of which will be to cause the studs 11 to pass downwardly in the slots 7c, strike the lower ends thereof, and tend to force the links is downwardly so as to assist in closing the bucket. The bars I) will at the same time move upwardly in respect ,to the scoops, the outer ends of the links Z Z moving inwardly with the lower points of the scoops. When the bail (1 reaches a sufiiciently-low point, the catches 0 will automatically engage with the perforations b, so that the Whole device may now be liftedby means of the swiveled eye h. Upon liftin the hail the strain will come on the bar I), an

this will cause the links Z l to complete the closing of the bucket and hold it in closed position.

it will be obvious that my invention is capable of embodiment in many forms other than that illustrated in these figures. One modification is indicated in Fig. 4, in which the pulley g is replaced by a swiveled lever g, the other parts being the same as those shown in the other figures.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A clam-shell bucket comprising two scoops, a supporting member therefor, means for releasing the scoops from said sup orting I member, comprising'a catch and a operating the catch, and means for preventfor lng the scoops from becoming entirely disengaged from the supporting member.

2. A clam-shell scoops having pivotal connection to each other, a supporting member therefor, means for releasing the scoops from saidsupporting member, comprising a pivoted catch and a pivoted link for operating the catch, and

7 means for preventing the scoops from becoming entirely disengaged from the supporting member. r

3. A clam-shell bucket, comprising two scoops, a supporting member therefor, means to eachother.

4.A clam-shell bucket, comprising two scoopsconnected with each other, a bail movable with respect to said scoops, and

,means for causing the movement of said bail toward the scotaps to move the latter toward each other; sai means comprising a stud on the bail, a pair of links connected with the ucket comprising two a scoops and with said stud on the bail, said the supporting member, and a second pair of.

links pivotally attached to said scoops and to each other.

6. A clam-shell bucket comprising two scoops'having pivotal connection to each other, a bail movable with respect to said scoops, and means for causing movement of" said bail toward the scoops to swing the latter together on their i'vots, said means comprising a stud on said bail, and a pair of links pivotally attached to said scoops and to said stud on the bail, said having slots in which said stud is free to move.

7. A clam-shell bucket comprising two scoops having pivotal connections with each other, two bars eachhaving a slot through.

which said pivotal connections ass, and means for movably supporting sai bars.

8. A clam-shell bucket comprising two scoops, a supporting-bail provided with slots,

bars slidable in said slots, means on said bars for supportingthe scoops, and means for engaging withthe bars and holding them in fixed relation-to the bail.

9. A .clanishell bucket comprising two pivoted scoops, a supporting-bail provided with vertical slots, bars slidable in said slots, means on said bars for supporting the scoo s, and means on the bailflfqr engaging with t e Ibags and holding them in fixed relation to the 10. A clam-shell bucket comprisi otal scoo s, a support' -bail providii with verticals ots, bars slidable in said slots, connections from said bars to said scoops, and catches on the bail for e aging with the bars and holding them in fixe relation to the bail.

1 1. A dredging-bucket comprising pivoted scoops, a supporting-bail, bars having sliding connection with said bail, COIIIIGGt-IQDS between said bars and said scoops, catches on said bail for engaging the said bars, and means for releasing said catches, comprising two links pivoted together and each pivote to one of said catches, and means for turn' said links on their pivotal connections the catches.

12. A'clam-shell bucket comp two scoops, asupporting-bail rovided wit two vertlcal slots, a bar slida le in each of said slots, a slot in the lower end of each of said name to this specification in the presence of bars, a pivot-rod passing through said slots two subscribing .witnesses. and joining the scoops together, a pair of pivoted to each of said bars and to the scoops, VICTOR EDWD LANE 5 and a second pair of links pivoted to the bail Witnesses:

and to the scoops. AUGUST GOERINGER,

In testimony whereof I have signed rny ANDREW D. ANDERSON. 

